1. Field of the Invention
Methods and apparatuses consistent with the present invention relate to a home network, and more particularly, to a home network device control service and/or Internet service method using a home network control device and an apparatus for the service.
2. Description of the Related Art
It is difficult to fully utilize a home network with a single home network device. For example, if a user who has bought a digital TV (DTV) that supports network streaming does not interface the digital TV with a media server, he/she cannot use a home network function. Therefore, with regard to a home network technique, the interface environment between devices is a big issue. A home network device control method using a remote user interface (UI) is for providing an interface environment between home network devices. The conventional remote UI technique includes an expandable home theater (XHT), Crawford Engineering Associates (CEA) 201.4, an extended remote technology (XRT), etc.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the conventional home network device control method using a remote UI. Referring to FIG. 1, the home network device control is performed by a remote UI client 100 and a remote UI server 110. The remote UI client 100 is a home network controller, and the remote UI server 110 is a controlled device in a home network.
The remote UI controller 100 obtains an accessible remote UI server list by searching for remote UI devices in the home network using such methods as universal plug and play (UPnP) device discovery (operation 121). When a specific remote UI server is selected from the remote UI server list (operation 122), the remote UI server 110 provides the remote UI client 100 with UI information for controlling the remote UI server 110 (operation 123). When a user inputs selection information based on the UI information, the remote UI client 100 transmits a remote UI server control command based on the selection information to the remote UI server 110 (operation 124). The server control command may be, for example, a play command, a stop command, a caption on/off command, and so on, if the remote UI server 110 is a digital video disc (DVD) player. The remote UI server 110 executes the received control command (operation 125), and provides the remote UI client 100 with a service corresponding to the control command.
However, the conventional home network device control method using the remote UI can use only services that are provided from the remote UI server 110. Also, when it is desired that a home network device be connected to the Internet, only functions that are provided by the home network device can be used. Thus, in the conventional home network environment, a user cannot control the home network device according to his/her preference and it is difficult to expand the range of Internet services using the home network device.